Hearing Aid Audio Signal Conditioning via Object Audioprint Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wearable devices, such as smartphones, are not ideal for lifelogging due to their size and design, and there is a need for smaller, lighter devices that can automatically capture and process images and audio to provide feedback and enhance user interaction with their environment.
Innovation Solution
A hearing aid system with a wearable camera and microphone that selectively amplifies sounds from a detected look direction or recognized individual, using image analysis to determine the user's focus and condition audio signals for improved auditory feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If conventional wearable devices like smartphones are used for lifelogging, then they can capture and process images and audio, but they are too large and heavy to be ideal wearable apparatuses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wearable system into separate functional modules: a compact wearable apparatus for capturing images and audio, a separate processing system for analyzing the captured data, and specialized output devices for providing feedback. This segmentation allows the wearable component to remain small and lightweight while still enabling sophisticated image and audio processing through distributed computation.
2Ease of operation
If the wearable apparatus is made smaller and lighter, then it becomes more suitable for wearing, but the processing capability and functionality are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable apparatus is designed with multi-functional capabilities, integrating image capture, audio recording, and preliminary processing in a single compact device. The system can adapt to various scenarios by processing captured data locally or transmitting it to external processing systems, providing versatile functionality despite the small form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate processing stages where captured image and audio data are preliminarily processed by the wearable apparatus, then selectively transmitted to external processing systems for more complex analysis. This intermediary approach allows the compact device to maintain ease of wearing while preserving advanced processing capabilities through collaboration with external systems.
3Loss of information
If all captured audio signals are processed and transmitted, then complete information is provided to the user, but the device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial processing to audio signals by selectively analyzing and transmitting only relevant portions based on predetermined criteria such as sound intensity, frequency ranges, or detected patterns. This partial action approach maintains information completeness for important sounds while reducing overall processing complexity and power consumption by ignoring insignificant audio data.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio processing system applies different processing qualities to different audio segments based on their characteristics. Critical sounds receive full processing and transmission, while background noises undergo minimal or no processing. This local quality differentiation ensures important information is preserved while reducing overall system complexity.
4Speed
If image and audio data are continuously captured and processed, then real-time feedback is provided to the user, but the energy consumption and data processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable apparatus performs image and audio capture and processing at periodic intervals rather than continuously, synchronized with user activities or environmental triggers. This periodic action enables real-time feedback for important events while significantly reducing average energy consumption compared to continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates self-service mechanisms where the wearable apparatus autonomously determines when processing is necessary based on detected environmental conditions or user behavior patterns. This self-service approach optimizes the balance between real-time processing speed and energy consumption by activating full processing only when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A hearing aid system for selectively conditioning audio signals associated with a recognized object may include at least one processor. The processor may be programmed to receive audio signals acquired by a wearable microphone; analyze the received audio signals to obtain an isolated audio stream associated with a sound-emanating object in the environment of the user; determine an audioprint from the isolated audio stream; and use the audioprint to retrieve from a database information relating to the particular sound-emanating object. Based on the retrieved information, the processor may cause selective conditioning of at least one audio signal received by the wearable microphone from a region associated with the at least one sound-emanating object; and cause transmission of the at least one conditioned audio signal to a hearing interface device configured to provide sounds to an ear of the user.